Bob Speltz Land-O-Lakes

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Chuck Petersen

In the 1890's my great-grandfather, Dr. F.E. Thornton of Chicago, established a summer retreat on Lauderdale Lakes in southern Wisconsin. Although our family never owned an inboard runabout when they were being produced, several lake residents would cruise the waters in Garwood and Chris Craft boats. Century was the most popular model due to a large dealer in the area. Two close family friends, the Anderson's and Geyers, owned 16 foot Resorter models.

During my first ten years at the cottage, we owned two wooden craft. A 1916 Morris sailing canoe purchased new by my grandfather, Wally Petersen, is still in our family. Most significant for me was my dad, Jerry's 1952 Switzer Bullet racer with MK40H engine. It is still my favorite boat with just the right mixture of style and speed. My dad raced the boat locally in the 1950's and I used it as a training vehicle to launch a stock outboard racing career from 1983-1990. Along with my brother Jim, and friend Scott Anderson, we ran competitively in the stock C and D classes in both runabouts and hydroplanes. It was through the racing club that I became aware of a neat 14 foot pleasure craft hidden away in a fellow racer's garage. After a little negotiation, my brother and I were the proud owners of a mint-condition 1954 Aristocraft Torpedo Speedster. Researching this boat led me to Bob Speltz and The Real Runabouts books. I contacted Bob with several questions between 1987 and 1988 and exchanged photos of the boat. Bob invited me to attend the 1989 boat show in Albert Lea, Minnesota. After being so warmly received by the LOL club members, I joined the chapter and planned to attend the Minnetonka show in August. Knowing I was unfamiliar with the area, Dr. Bob "Full Throttle" Johnson graciously invited me to stay with him in St. Paul. My friendship with Bob and Beth over the years has been a key factor in my continuing interest in club activities. After running the Aristocraft on Lake Minnetonka, I decided I needed only one additional item: A BIGGER BOAT! Again, my brother Jim came through, finding a restorable 1957 Century in the Lake Geneva, Wisconsin area. I learned a lot during the three-year restoration process. I made lots of mistakes, but ended up with a nice mahogany planked boat for a reasonable price. Building my own engines helps keep the costs down. The most enduring benefit of my racing years has been my continuing friendship with national champion and world record holder, Jerry Wienandt who taught me the fundamentals of engine building. All my competitive motors were built in his shop in Fox Point, Wisconsin. The motors I run on the classic boats use the same basic components as the race engines. The six cylinder Merc 700 model powering the Century Palomino is my largest project to date.

Over the past ten years, I have enjoyed shows in Albert Lea, Excelsior Bay, Alexandria, Little Falls, Minocqua, WI and Clayton, NY. The most consistent highlight of each show was the great fellowship with BSLOL members. It seems the quality of the individual rather than the dollar value of a boat collection, attracts people to this group. This theory was really tested the past few years by my dad, as he succeeded in transforming a gray hulk into a beautiful work of art (1939 Garwood) with the help of club members. Dr. Bob and Tom Juul provided photos, patterns and restoration tips during the four-year project. Dad really picked a challenge for his first major ground-up restoration -- no interior, motor, seats, a rotten keel, bottom, decks and transom. While I have neither the time nor the talent for such a job, I do hope to own an inboard in the near future. Meanwhile, the outboard motors provide a fun, year-round diversion with plenty of new projects lined up in the shop. My son, Nicholas (4 1/2) and daughter Alexandria (3) enjoy their own "work bench" and like to help out in the shop. Most weekends my wife, Amy, packs up the kids and Margaux, our Standard Poodle (11) for the lake. We enjoy not only the relaxation of cruising the waters and lounging on the dock, but also seeing the kids grow up in the same environment that so positively affected my life. Both my parents take a very active role in this process. I look forward to the Red Wing show this year and a possible trip to Mt. Dora, Florida in the Spring.